Krisp excels primarily as a noise cancellation tool that has expanded into meeting assistance, offering reliable real-time audio enhancement that users consistently praise for its effectiveness. The transcription and AI summary features are accurate and require minimal editing, making it valuable for remote workers in noisy environments. However, the tool can occasionally distort audio or consume significant CPU resources, and its free plan limits noise cancellation to just 60 minutes daily.

Read.ai positions itself as a comprehensive meeting analytics platform, providing not just transcription but also engagement metrics, sentiment analysis, and searchable meeting archives across multiple languages. Its integration capabilities with platforms like Zoom, Slack, and various CRMs make it appealing for teams seeking detailed meeting insights. The downside is a restrictive free tier (only 5 meetings monthly), complex interface that can overwhelm users, and higher pricing that may deter smaller teams.

Krisp suits individual professionals and small teams who prioritize audio quality and basic meeting notes, especially those working from noisy environments or needing simple, reliable functionality. Read.ai targets larger organizations and data-driven teams who want comprehensive meeting analytics and collaboration features, particularly those already invested in enterprise software ecosystems.

Both tools offer basic integrations and automation features, but neither provides the deep workflow integration or comprehensive task management capabilities that would truly transform how users act on meeting outcomes. While they capture and summarize meetings effectively, the gap between generating insights and facilitating meaningful follow-up actions remains largely unaddressed.

Comparison table

What users say about Krisp and Read.ai

Krisp receives generally positive feedback from users, with reviewers praising its effectiveness as an AI meeting assistant. Users particularly appreciate its ability to remove extraneous sounds, background voices and echos, making it valuable for improving audio quality during calls. Many find it "game changing and affordable," especially highlighting how the AI notes and task summaries help them manage meeting deliverables effectively.

Read.ai appears to have more mixed reviews, with users expressing significant concerns about the platform. While some users were impressed by Read's ability to capture multiple languages in the same call automatically, demonstrating strong multilingual transcription capabilities, others have serious complaints about the service. Several reviewers strongly advise against signing up, with some giving it a 1 out of 5 star rating and warning that the app automatically gets added to users' meetings even when they only intended to read someone else's notes. The overall user experience seems to be hampered by unwanted automatic features that users find intrusive.

Users switch away from Krisp primarily due to the restrictive limitations of its free plan. The free version only provides 60 minutes per day of noise cancellation and up to 2 meeting summaries daily, which proves insufficient for users who need the tool throughout extended workdays or multiple meetings. This forces users to upgrade to paid plans or seek alternatives that offer more generous free tiers.

Technical performance issues also drive users to abandon Krisp despite its generally effective noise cancellation. Some users experience audio distortions where Krisp clips words or distorts the speaker's voice, particularly when attempting to cancel very loud background noises. These audio quirks can negatively impact transcription accuracy and meeting quality. Additionally, the software causes high CPU usage when active, which can slow down other applications and affect overall system performance.

Cost considerations and feature bundling concerns lead users to switch to competing solutions. Users who only need one specific feature - either noise cancellation or meeting notes - find the Pro plan pricing around $8 per month excessive when they're paying for functionality they don't use. The pricing structure doesn't accommodate users who want unbundled features, making single-purpose alternatives more attractive. Combined with mixed reviews about customer support response times, these factors create enough friction to motivate users to explore other options that better match their specific needs and budgets.

Users frequently abandon Read.ai due to its severely restrictive free tier, which only allows 5 meeting transcripts per month with basic functionality. This limitation is particularly frustrating compared to competitors who offer more generous free plans, making it difficult for individual users and small teams to properly evaluate the platform or use it consistently for their meeting needs. The restriction forces users to either upgrade to expensive paid plans quickly or seek alternatives to Read.ai that provide more value at the entry level.

The platform's complex and cluttered user interface creates a significant barrier to adoption and continued use. With numerous features packed into the interface including notes, analytics, search capabilities, and engagement metrics, users report finding the system confusing and not as time-saving as expected. The steep learning curve required to navigate all these features can overwhelm users who simply want straightforward meeting transcription and summaries, leading them to switch to more intuitive alternatives that prioritize ease of use over feature abundance.

Privacy and pricing concerns drive many users away from Read.ai, particularly those who are cost-conscious or work in sensitive environments. Privacy-focused users have raised red flags about joining others' meetings without explicit consent, which can create boundary issues and compliance problems in professional settings. Additionally, the high pricing structure, especially for Enterprise features like video playback at $29.75 per user per month, deters small teams and budget-conscious organizations who find better value propositions with competing platforms that offer similar core functionality at lower price points.

Using Krisp

Does Krisp work for in-person meetings?

Yes, Krisp works for in-person meetings. It can capture any conversation, whether online or offline, using noise-canceling audio on your device.

Does Krisp require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

No, Krisp does not require a meeting bot to join the meeting. It records and transcribes meetings locally via the Krisp app and works with any voice app without needing a bot.

What do users say about the quality of Krisp transcriptions?

Users generally praise the quality of Krisp's transcriptions. One user noted that the summaries with key points and action items were "extremely accurate," requiring minimal edits. However, some users report that audio quirks can occasionally affect transcription accuracy - Krisp might distort the speaker's voice or clip words, especially when trying to cancel very loud noises.

How does Krisp help users follow up on action items?

Krisp automatically generates action items and summaries that include structured key points and action items. The platform allows task delegation in-app, making it easier for users to follow up on what needs to be done after meetings.

Does Krisp integrate with software like HubSpot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Yes, Krisp has integrations including calendar integration for one-click recording and native HubSpot CRM integration to push summaries.

Using Read.ai

Does Read.ai work for in-person meetings?

Yes. Read.ai has an iOS app that captures in-person/offline meetings with one tap.

Does Read.ai require a meeting bot to join the meeting?

No. Read.ai does not use meeting bots – it records virtual meetings via cloud or extension, and offline audio via mobile app.

What do users say about the quality of Read.ai transcriptions?

Users consider Read.ai's summaries to be "smart," effectively capturing questions asked and topics discussed during meetings.

How does Read.ai help users follow up on action items?

Read.ai generates reports after meetings that include action items along with key points. It also has an AI "Copilot" that provides summaries and auto-syncs notes to CRM systems.

Does Read.ai integrate with software like HubSpot, Salesforce, or Linear?

Yes. Read.ai has robust integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce, Confluence, Jira, Notion, and Slack.

Another alternative: Circleback

Circleback provides best-in-class AI-powered meeting notes and automations. We support over 100 languages and automatic participant identification in both in-person and online meetings.

• Automatically-identified and assigned action items

• AI-enabled search across all meetings

• Automations with 100+ app integrations

• Industry-leading security with SOC 2 Type II, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, and HIPAA compliance

• Ability to capture both online and in-person meetings with desktop and mobile apps